CITY MALL: Ammo and Equipment Seller May Grow with Concealed Carry Law

Tough times have hit Muskego businesses as hard as anybody, Tim Koch says.  His business, Somar Tek, sells just about any type of warrior gear available to modern society.

There’s police equipment: anything an officer wears on his or her belt and the belt itself, including tasers, holsters, handcuffs, batons, and rechargeable flashlights.

There are Rocky brand shoes and boots, warning lights and sirens for police and volunteer firemen, reloading components like gunpowder, primers, shot and bullets for hunters.

There’s body armor because, Koch says, “it’s a necessary tool.  There’s not an officer you’ll meet who’s not wearing some type of body armor.”

But despite the edge Koch gets by bringing his knowledge and the latest in new products to Muskego and customers throughout the state of Wisconsin and as far west as the Dakotas – his sales have dropped 10%, or $40,000, in the past year. 

Koch links the drop to high unemployment and the rising costs of fuel, raw materials, electric, taxes, labor and other factors that combine to raise prices.

On the other hand, it’s likely that demand for guns, ammunition and holsters will grow in the months ahead to spur Somar’s growth in 2012, Koch said.

Wisconsin’s new Concealed Carry law, scheduled to take effect in November of 2011 , should boost sales, Koch said.

“It’s about having the ability to protect yourself if you have to,” he said, noting that “the people we’ve been afraid of were already carrying (concealed weapons)” before the new law passed.

Somar Tek is located 0.3 mile north of Janesville Road on Racine Avenue/Hwy. Y in Muskego.  Hours are 8:30 am to 5:30 pm on weekdays and Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm; Patch readers may call (262)679-1460 for more information.